Automatic train-arrester and railroad signal system.



G.' A. WILSON, JR. AUTOMATIC TRAIN ARRESTEB. AND RILROAD lSIGNAL SYSTEM. 'APPLIGATION FILEDJULY '14., l1913. 1,1 19.740. Patented Dee. 1, 1914-.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.y

vGr. A. WILSON, JR.' vlAUTOMIYIIG TRAIN ARRESTER-AND RAILROAD SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLIGATIONPILBD .'TULY14f19/13. d

- 'Patented Deo. 1, 1914,.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2;

4 www www@ GEQBGE A. WILSON, Jn., 'or Bosman, meslseeniisnrcrs.'

AUTOMATIC 'rRAiNARnnsTnR AND iiAiLnoAD SIGNAL s rsTn-M.

y Specification of Letters Patent. v

Application inea my 14, wie. serial No. riesgo.

To all whom it may conce-mr i Beit known that I, Geenen A. ILSON, Jr., citizen oi' the `United. States, residing at Boston, countyv of Suffolk, State of' Massa-- chusetts. have invented a certain neu7 and useful improvement in Automatic Train- Arresters. and Railroad Sig-nal Systems, of

whichfthe following is al speciiioation, refer-- ence being-had therein to the accompanying drawings.

i M v invention has for its object mechanismby whicha train, Whether operated by steam orelectricity, may be brought to a stop or its speed reduced to a predetermined point 'if it passes a blocksignal which is set at darn ger or in the" cautionary position.

The apparatus embodying my invention consists in a Contact device loperated by the semaphoreor signal arm-of a block signal, an auxiliaryor so-called third rail adjacent the track and located near the block signalA by which the device is operated, saidthird`4 rail being provided-preerablv with a plurality of electrically 4independent contact surfaces which are connected with the con-- tact device operated by the semaphore or signal arm, a suitable third rail shoe, throttle or rheostat and air brake operating fle-- vices to control the motor power and the' brakes, and suitable connections to the third' rail'shoe, together -ivith certain' other devices which will be 'hereinafter more it'ullv described.

The source of power to operate-the apparatus is carried by the train, and the portion of the circuit not on the train is dead except when the shoe is in contact With--thelthird rail so that the systemv is free from all danger of becoming grounded. Mechanisniis also provided by which the speed of the train may be reduced below a predetermined point if the train runs by thesigna-l when .it is in the cautionary position. If the'train' passes a block signal which is in the safety position it will not be stopped nor will its speed be affected. Devices are provided so that under proper conditions the train niav be movedafter having been stopped by the automatic stop. In case of failure of the source of energ)r or of grounding of any 'of the circuits, the stop -signal is displayed and the train brakes are applied. between. the third rail and the vehicle is` made-bv means of a `shoe projecting fromthe truck or -thelovver part. of the 'car so that the Aclearance is lnotinterfered lwith,v

The Contact bodvinr; inv on electricalli7 norfis. the operation of the device aie'cted speed, shocks, Weather, Wear. of. .the 'tracks'.

' .raienteanee i, 1914.; c

or vehicle, or Ioscillati'on'of the vehicle. .I

also combine. with my ap aratus simple mechamsmlby means of Whic ithe condition of. the signals in thebiock ii'ill be indicated both in the cab of the locomotive and at one or more points in the train, so that thev conductoroas lwell asthe engineer may be informed as to-the condition o-tlie signals even. though the block signal cannot be seen.v

One of the signals in the cab will always be displayed. Telephonie communication between the conductor and the engineer may also be convenientlyl provided.

The cab signal system is so constructed that thatpart of the circuitvvhichoperates the cab signals, brakes, etc., is notv momentary in its operation, lasting only as long as 'sol the shoe vis incontact with they contact rail,

but on the contra-ry thecurrent therein flows continuously until the circuit is broken b v a change of signals, or bypositive action by therperson in control.

Provisionvisl made so that when the brakes liavebeen set by the operation of the device theycannotbe released 'until after the. train has. been brought to a stop, and then onlfv7 by the conductor.

The apparatus is fnon-inductive, and thereforeisnot likely to be interfered with in its operation by neighboring electric-'cin cuits, such for instance as third rail or-povver or lightingcircuits.- The. apparatus eiii= bodving my invention is also provided Withmechanism fore-recording. the number oit times the automatic 'stopping device 'is op erated .or the-brakes automaticall)7 applied,

anda-bell may be caused' to ring in the ca-b when -tlie brakes are applied. In easel-the current-deliveredby the battery by whichn the apparatus is operated falls vbelovv Ia pre1.

determined-point, an alarm belljwill be `fungi or tclie train 'will'be stoppedas may be de; sire Theinveiition l will be fully understood` from the'following'description taken in connection with tlieaccompanying drawings,I and the novel features thereof will bepoint-- ed out and cle 'rly defined in the claims at the close of the specification. i .-1. Referring to .tliel'drawinge diagrammatic view-fot an apparatus ein invention and iadaptedffor use plan vievv of operated 'tr-airis. is -a' the electrically opeigalted'2 Figure l is a Valve 50. Fig.

said air xalre ratten troni the right side as seen in Fig. L. Fig. l is. a diagrammatic vieu' ot an apparatus cnibodyiiif@r iny inven- 3 is a ide elevation of the l.

tion as applied to a steam operated train.

' the drawings with a plurality offcontact surfaces 2, 3, and 4r, which 'are preferably par-,-

allel and forniedlengthwise of the rail as shown in Fig. 1, being separated from each other electrically by the insulation 5 and 6.

The number of contact surfaces will bc'varied according to the requirements of ,the

system. lf, for' instance, it' is-desiredto provide simply an autoniaticstop' Without mechanism :tor reducing the train speed only a single Contact surface will be suilicient.

The third rail l is insulated trom the ground A by the insulation 7 on which it rests.

The semaphore arm E swings on anaxis v8. This -axis 8 is grounded als shown at Q0 and is provided at oney end with a Contact arm @which swings* With they ,semaphore arm E.' On a stationary quadrant 10 are located three contact pointsl 11, 12 and 13 in the path lot the moving contact carried on the end offthe arm 9. These three contact points 1 1, 12 and 13 are so located that when the red or danger signal is displayed,' as shown in..Fig the arm 9 is'in contact with the lcontac p'oint' 13, While when the yellouT or cautionary signalis displayed contact is 'made' With-the contact point 12, and when the' green or safety signal is displayed contact is made with 1the contact point. 11. T he contact point" 11iis connected with the portion 3 of the third rail'bywirel and said' .connection forms a part of the green or safety circuit, said circuit lieing shown by a tine continuous line .in Fig. 1; The contact point 12 is connected W'ith the portion et ot tbe third rail. by Wire 15. This circuit is indicated by dotted lines in the diagram and is referred to as the yellow or cautionary circuit. .The Contact 13 .is connected with the central portion 2 of the third rail by Wire 16. This circuit is' known as the red or danger circuit, being shown by a heavy continuous line in Fig. 1. The safety and cautionary circuits in portions of the system coincide with vportions of the danger circuit ein playin/1 the sanie Wires. 1ll/*here this is l, llu.- case. the wiring has been indicated' as a having three contacts corresponding respectively to the three coiita'ctsur'liaces of the third rail. rlhe tiro side contacts 1T and i8 con-v tact with the two side portions Band l respectively/'ct the. rail and the top Contact incinber lf) runsl on thc top et 4the central portion il oi" the rail. lI prefer to arrange the contacts as described, because this conf struction insures the best contact tor the red or danger circuit.

AtBl is shown the battery by which current is supplied tooperatc the system. The three circuits are connected to a niain switch 21 vby which all three circuits inaybe broken simultaneously uhen it isdesired to discon neet the third rail shoe from the rest ot vthe systein, asis sometimes'temporarily necessary. iin instance ot ,this necessity is when it is desired to back out of a block which has once been entered, and upon entering which the train has been automatically stopped.

As iny apparatus is' shown in Fig. 1 as adapted -l'or the control of an electrically operated' train, I have shown at 22 in Fig. 1

Yel" 'Y circuit. i .z-i't 28 is shown thesourcd oi encl" by ineans of which the train is operated, as for instance agencrator or storage, battery.

At .Z-l is' shown Ithe controllerI orrheostat, by ,ineans of which the ilouf of current from the source oty energy 23 to the motor Q5 ot the train 'is controlled. In this circuit is Aplaced a circuit breaker 526 operated by the red or danger circuit, also a resistance 2.7 which is introduced into' the power circuit by means ot an automatic switch il@ through wires QQ vand 30 Whenever thc train runs by avyellou' or cautionary signalias will here1` inatter be more fully explained. JUnder norinal conditions that is except when the danger'circuit is operating, this circuit breaker Q6 is closed so that the power circuit is'coiupleted. In Fig. 1 the circuit breaker i316 is shown as open, the power circuit being broken since the red or danger circuit is then operating.

rThe red or danger circuit and its operation 'will -iirst be described. lli/hen the sernanhore arin E together with the contact arniA l) is set at danger, as shown in Fig. l, that with the Contact: arin El in contact with.

circuit. being' contained in 'the signal post,

third rail and. their connections and the other portiono the circuit being carried by the tr in. Starting :from the battery 31 on the train, tliecurrent 'will then pass from the battery 81 through themires 0 heaiy continuous lines a 'power and 33 Y lll() Thence it will pass to the ground through the various connections previousl'v de scribed. lrointhe ground 20 it will nass to the ground rlhen the current will fiow through n'ire 3G to Vwire 3T along Wire El' to Wire The current then flows through the open circuit relay 39 and wire -l-O to the battery 3l, thus completing the red or danger circuit. The passage of the current as described from the battery 3l through the circuit closing relaiT 3l operates the said relay and closes a circuit, which is a shunt circuit of the red. or danger circuit. The said circuit closing rela)v 3i is arranged'to remain closed after haring once been operated until the lever #il has heen depressed.` ln practice. it is desirable to have this relaj;1 3l located in a locked box, the key to Which is inthe possession of the conductor or other suitable eniplojee. [When the circuit closing relay 3l has closed the shunt circuit, current flows from the batter)7 31 through Wires and l then through the armature of the circuit closingrelaiv 3 to the Wire sir?. rThe current then branches off, a. portion of it going through irire L3 and the other part going through Wire -i. That part of the current passing through vWire 3 operates the recording device and the alarm hell .LG. lt then passes through wire if? to the' circuit breaker 26. Bv attract-ing the armature of the Circuit breaker 2G the ponjercircuit is broken and the current to the motor of the train is shut. olf. Thereafter the current passes'through Wire -lS to wire 3T and thence returns to the battery 31, through Wire 3S, rela)T 89, Wire i0. Another part of the current lin the Wire i3 passes lthrough the. Wire L3:9 to the electrically operated air valve which admits air through the pipe 5l to the air brake-cylinders, not shown. lThe current then vflows through wire to wire 37 and thence tothe cattery 3l, through Wire'BS, relair 39, and Wire i0. Another port-ion of the current in the Wire l2 flows through wire il to the red cab Cir signal 53, thereb;VT displaying a red or dansignal to the engineer, This portion of the current also passes back to the battery 8l. through wire relay 39 and Wire l() hi'ough irire 3G. .Another portion of the current in u'ire il flows through wire 5lto the corresi'ionding signal 553 Whichn'iay be located in one of the cars on the train at a point convenient for ohseri'ation by the conductor or braleinan. through wires 3T and 36 to the batteri7 31, through wire I3 relay 39 and wire 40.

hed yellow or canti-onor;v circuit' and its operation will now be described. llhen'the semaphore arn E and the contact arrn 9 are in thecautionary position,y that is, withthe Contact arno i) in contact with V thecontact The current returns point l2 the yellou or cautionary circuit inv dit-ated by a dotted line willbegroundedfat and the red or dangerl Jcircuit.and: thevk green or safety circuit will both be :li-rohen.

When the contact memheul `of thethird rail shoe is on the Dart -lof. the third/.rail the Yellow or ,autionary f circuit` is ycoinpleted. ln this case thecurrent rkill take vthe following direction. ltirilluass fromY the batteriv or source 3l throught euifires1 32 and 33 thence' throughfrhe -ernia-i1 the-relaiY 56 -an'd then through ugiref*6 5-l the point 5T. At this po.; i l branches and part of it pass lt then passes through the coil Y double pole switch59thenthrough re (i to the point G1 andthen .throughrieure (32 to the inain switch il and-thence tofthe third rail shoe. Thereafter it flows :to the. ground as previously described. F1-om' the ground 2O it passes to the. ground and bach to the battery 3l over 'the sangle` 1Wires have been described in connection with the red circuit, 21. e. through wires ,Sth

3T andBS, through relaiy 39, and wire l0; Beginning again at point A5T the otherrpor-iA tion of thecurrent passes through thelivires 63 to the coil (Z of thelouble pole sivitchf; lt then passes tothe point '31 and thence; to the third rail through wire as `previously described. ll'hen the current passesthrough the coil d .of the double pole switch 2.8 it mores' the armature ,f thereof to break the portion of the power circuit indicated by the Wires .19 and 30 and introduces :the resistance :'27 into the poner circuit thereby reducing the speed of the train to apredeterniined point. llhen the coil .o of the double/pole switch 59 is energizedgus descrioezh the arnuiture C oflthe switch istattracted to. the right, as shown in F ig. l and closes a shunt circuit so `that the current from the battery 3l. Hows through wire i and the yellow eab signal G5. andl -then through a portion of the wire andthe wire 236 to the-batte@T 3l, throughiwhe relaiY 39 and wire #10. Another Lportion of this current flows through-the Wire. ,GG to the yellow signal GT located inthe train.` The return to the batter)Y 3l is ina de through the. wires BT and .re-i215v orei'iously described. f- A The operation of the green or safety circuit is as follows: lVhen the ysemaphore arm l and the contact arinlare set atsafety,

es, f 'v ,fandv Wire 4.-() las that is` with the contact arm 9 incoiitact cuit will both he broken. 'lfh'ere'aftei when The currentwill Vthe Wire 42.

trol `valve, 0 which is connected with and operated by the. danger circuit. At `98 is shown another throttle valve also in the steam main vwhich is referred `to as the speed .reducing throttle valve. /By this value, the

speed of the train is .reduced by the cautionary eircuitibut the brakesareiot set nor is the train actually stopped. Thistalve is .actuated by a motor 99 which is connected to both the cautionary and safety circuits.

The motor 99 has on'its main shaft gear 1001'neshing with a gear 101. Thesha-ft 102 for the gear 101 carries a Contact' arm 103 Which'rests upon the circular disk 104. The said circular disk 101 and the Contact arm'103 together form a. rotating sivitch. This disk 104; is'provided with two insulated spaces 103 and 10G and two conducting sections 107 and 10S. The section 107 of the switch is connected to the yellow or cautionary circuit by a. Wire 109, While the section 108 is connected to the safety or green circuit by a u'ire 110. The movable Contact arm 103 is connected to the motor 99 by the Wire 111. The axle 112 of the motor 99 also carries a gear 113 meshing with a larger gear 111V on the shaft 115 of the speed reduc` ing throttle valve 98.

The operation of the electrical apparatus as applied to a steam trani 1s substantially .the same as has been described 1n connection with Fig.'1. Assuming that the semaphore arm E is in the danger position las shown in Fig. the'current will flow through the battery 31, through the Wires 32 and 33s through the coil of the circuit closing relay' 34, to the main switch 21 and thence to the ground 20, as has been previously described. From the ground 20 it will pass to the ground 35, thence through Wires 36, 37 and 38,' the open circuit relay 39 and Wire 40 to the battery 31. The closing of the relay 34 permits another part of the current to flow through Wire 32, Wire 321, Vthrough the armature of the circuit closing relay 34 to the recording device 45 and the alarm bell 46, and then goes to the electrically'operated air valve 50 and another part of the current flows through the red cab signal 53 and the auxiliary red signal 55 and returns to the ground all as previously described. This action of the current operates the air valve 50 admitting air through the pipe 51 to the air brake. cylinders, and through the pipe to the cylinder 96 which operates the steam valve 94..

Then the semaphore arm E is in the, cautionary position and the third rail shoe is in contact with the third rail, the current' grasses through 66 to the auxiliary.yellowy Part ofthe current opera-tes- .from the batte' .Q paseesthr ugh the Wires 32 and 33 ornrng per; et

cuit, thence through the lmfma'lair-i tattile,...-

relay '56, then through the Wire 6.3.4150 the,A coil u, oi the double pole switchsgthencer it passes .to the third rail thi,ol'lfghthe..Wire-5` L (S0 and thence to the grounddf." Vffllieigeafiler it Hows to the ground 35fandback tothe.

battery .31 over the wires, 37,- and .38,

relay 3.9,I and wire L1.10 as described previy l 0115131 The passes@ Off the cuireutthrershi if the coil a of the double pole su* 'tch59,.p u;ll the armature to the righ andi` the' cu rent` then passes th1ongli.- th ello te groundil() and back to the battery,througlirV wire 1G, the thirdrail shoe,-inainrsJ tch 1. and wires 33 and Another.. or

ion?.

'signal 67 and returns tothe groundas-1.ue .gg-5. vicusly described. Another portionjoithe,

cui'jrcnt continues along thexvire .109.tothe contact 107 oil" the ,revolving'` '.lhe current passes tlirough.the,contactparin` 103, when said Contact arm rests oncontact .v, 1

phore and third rail shoe are in' their A'proper j,

positions, .the current passes from thebac-v tery 31, then through Wiresand vvand the armature of the relay 56,7.throughvthe wire (i8 forming partei 'thecautipnary los circuit through the coil 'bgof the .'donblepole i.

switch 59 and then through ivire 71 :to the main switch and back to the ground() as previously described. Tlience f it passes; to the ground 35, and back togthdbatteryl aio wire 40.' When the currentjpit'sselsftl v the coil b the armature c of.,.tl1e doub switch 59 is moved to.the lettgbreakin cautionary circuit and permitting. the. u

rle.

1': rent to flow into the wireg',.i1` af-.portiyonio this'current lights the green cab' sgnalM'B, another portion lights the auxiliary si al 75 and the remainder; of the current o'ws through WirellO to ontact 108 of the revolving switch 104:.. 1t then passes through the contact arm 103 to Wire 111 and into motor 99. From motor 99 it returns by wire 121 forming part of the cautionary system as previously described to the ground 35 along Wires 37 and 36.

When lthe safety circuit is closed, the motor 99 begins to revolve and moves the movable contact arm 103 around the disk 104 until the .irc'uit through the mote? is 'reducing throttle valve 98, and the circuit through the motor is broken by the contact arm passing ofi' the other section 107. It Will be seen that this mechanism operates the speed reducing throttle .valve entirely automaticallyso that the valve is open when the greencircuit is closed and the valve is closed to the predetermined amount when the yellow or cautionary circuit is closed, nb hand operation being necessary.

. Fromv the foregoing description it will be -seen that if the. danger circuit is groundedanywherel the circuit will be closed and the train stopping devices will be operated. If the safety or cautionary circuits are ground- Y ed'or short circuited or if a wire is broken,

either thev trouble alarm bell 80 will ring or the train stopped according as the switch 8l is set. This occurs because there is no longer any current through ythe relay 39.

At 116 is shown a check valve which keeps the air from going to the cylinder 96 during service applications of the brakes but' does not interfere with it when the valve 50 acts.

`WhilegI'have shown in the drawings and described herein a specific electrically operated'air valve (see Figs. 2 and 3) I have n'ot claimedthe same herein, as I believe it to be an independent invention.

I/Vhat I claim is;

LIn .a train arresting mechanism, the combination of a semaphore capable of being Aset in three positions to indicate danger, caution and safety, a contact device operated thereby and provided with three contacts corresponding to' the semaphore positions, a contact rail having a longitudinal conducting surface secured to each side thereof but electrically separated therefrom the contactrail being connected to the semaphore contact corresponding to the danger" position and the two side conducting sur? ing on the top of the rail and the other two on said conducting surfaces, and three electric circuits on the train corresponding to the three semaphore positions, the .danger circuit being connected to the brush on the top of the rail and the other two circuits be- `ing connected to the other two brushes.

21. Ina train arresting system, the combination of a multiple position semaphore, a contact member operated by said semaphore, electric train circuits controlled by said contact member, a speed reducing control device acting to reduce the supply of motive power, a separate device operating to cut olf entirely the motive power, said two devices being operated by two train circuits.

3. In a train arresting system, the combination of a multiple position semaphore, a contact member operated thereby, electric train circuits controlled by said contact member, a speed reducing device acting to reduce the supply of motive power, a separate device operating to cut orf' entirely the supply of motive power, and an air brake actuating device, said speed reducing device being in one train circuit and said separate device and said air brake actuating device being both in another train circuit.

4. In a train arresting device, the combination of two train circuits, a speed reducing device, an electric' motor moving said speed reducing device, said motor being connected .to both said circuits, and a revolving switch moved by the said motor and operating t0 alternately make and break the vsaid two circuits. l

In testimony whereof I affix my signa- "ture, in presence of two witnesses. 

